Smell from Sriracha's hot sauce factory declared public nuisance

The factory for the maker of a popular hot sauce has been declared a public nuisance.

Irwindale-based Sriracha will have to make changes to its plant after strong odors prompted complaints from some residents last fall.

Irwindale City Council voted 5-0 Wednesday to give the factory 90 days to stop the spicy odors.

"We are very disappointed. We have complied with all the city's requirements," Sriracha attorney John Tate said in a statement. "We of course were also working in cooperation with the AQMD."

Sriracha maker Huy Fong foods said the company is committed to fixing the problem by June 1.

Huy Fong Foods moved to Irwindale two years ago, opening a new $40 million plant in the largely industrial city of 1,400 residents.

The company was founded by Vietnamese immigrant David Tran, who began mixing up his distinctive sauce in a bucket at his home in 1980. As business boomed, he opened a plant in Rosemead, moving to Irwindale when his company outgrew that facility.

The firey red chili sauce, which helped the company make $85 million last year, is a staple in Asian restaurants.